Royal Mail flotation .... would you buy shares?

[Saracen]

So it seems Royal Mail (and note, NOT the Post Office) is to be privatised. Clearly, as we don't have full details, like, well, price for a start, a firm decision is not yet possible.


But, are you interested in buying?

Oh, and BBC reports suggest a £750 investment is likely to be the minimum. That alone suggests to me that this isn't aimed a widespread public investment, unlike Tell Sid, etc.

[Phage]

Loads of losses recently and an entrenched unionised workforce with massive pension entitlements. No way Jose !

[Lucio]

As a long term investment I think it has potential to make a moderate return, but the time to invest would be during the first round of protest strikes, as that will undoubtedly harm the price. Eventually the workers will realise that this is inevitable and has been since the act of parliment was passed.

That however, is not to say I agree with the idea at all, I tend to agree with the objections raised that the service won't be run as efficiantly, or as cheaply for the customers as the desire for greater and greater profits will take over.

[Saracen]

Rarely do I find that I agree with both union bosses and Maggie Thatcher, or indeed, that they agree with each other. In principle and in general, I'm a fan of privatisation, but only where there is strong, direct competition. One step too far was water companies and this, I suspect, is another.

Having said that, Royal Mail is more or less irrelevant to me as I rarely use it. I haven't used it for parcels in about a decade, and about 99% of what I used to send by letter now goes by email or other online methods, like web form.

[kalniel]

Will they pay dividends in stamps?

[TheAnimus]

So a company that is less efficient than TNT in somewhere like London, where TNT do the full delivery too. Who has workers that live in cloud cookuu land, who the old timers will have great pensions whilst Spanish practices. In an industry that is less and less relevant.

Yeah sounds like a great deal!

Meanwhile, Amazon lockers are solving the problem that faces most people who work and live away from family home. Deliveries when you are not in, solved really well. The 'locker' brings extra foot-traffic to a corner shop or similar, meanwhile it simplifies the logistics by having the recipient do the last mile.

The only people who send me letters still are the government and lawyers. They are the only bastions of legacy and inefficiency.

Everything else is junk. About 90% of my mail is junk. Can't help but feel the firm sticking it there is equally so.

[Saracen]

So a company that is less efficient than TNT in somewhere like London, where TNT do the full delivery too. Who has workers that live in cloud cookuu land, who the old timers will have great pensions whilst Spanish practices. In an industry that is less and less relevant.

Yeah sounds like a great deal!

Meanwhile, Amazon lockers are solving the problem that faces most people who work and live away from family home. Deliveries when you are not in, solved really well. The 'locker' brings extra foot-traffic to a corner shop or similar, meanwhile it simplifies the logistics by having the recipient do the last mile.

The only people who send me letters still are the government and lawyers. They are the only bastions of legacy and inefficiency.

Everything else is junk. About 90% of my mail is junk. Can't help but feel the firm sticking it there is equally so.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later ..... I agree with every word (except a spelling or two)

[Zak33]

in a word: no

it doesn't represent value for money and I don't see how it can become more valuable over sensible period of time.

so... no

[badass]

in a word: no

it doesn't represent value for money and I don't see how it can become more valuable over sensible period of time.

so... no

How can you say that when you don't know the price?

[PK71]

To much uncertainty atm imo... Im no expert tho but maybe a better investment than sticking money in the bank with interest rates as pathetic as they are.

[TheAnimus]

How can you say that when you don't know the price?

Because a company with no assets, but liabilities has a negative valuation for some people?

[PK71]

I think its a disgrace selling it off but there you go. Doubt it will improve the service any and just wait for them to cut ties with the Post Office down the line.

[Top_gun]

Privatisation hasn't really worked in this country and the polls relating to the Royal Mail privatisation seemed to reflect the public mood. Especially after seeing year on year increases on their utility bills. The main driver for privatisation is that the Royal Mail can have the freedom to get investment capital from the markets. However, here in London, Thames Water simply put up our bills beyond the rate of inflation in order to invest in our infrastructure. Not a penny came from the shareholders.

Once Royal Mail has been sold off, who will stop the selling of assets in prime locations to boost their profits in the short term? Not the public or the small shareholders, that's certain. In future, it'll be a case of travelling for miles to pick up a letter.

[Totalize]

If privatized, they will eventually drop the universal service. This will be a disaster for those living in remoter areas.

No for this reason.

[Bluecube]

Loads of losses recently and an entrenched unionised workforce with massive pension entitlements. No way Jose !

I thought it had been profitable the past two years. Last I heard RM made a profit of 422m.